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Paoli appears to have been formed by nature to attain the hearts and fuffrages or his countrymen, for his deportment was grave and prudent, and his judgment was matured by reflection rather than by age, while his patriotifin was unqueftioned, and his eloquence fuperior to that of any of his rivals. He was accordingly unanimously chofen generaliffimo, in a full affembly of the people, when he had but attained the 29th year of his age. This joyful event was immediately announced, by means of a proclamation, "in the name of the fupreme and general council of Corfica, addreffed to the beloved people of that nation," dated from St. Antonio of the White Houfe, July 15, 1755. It was there ftated, "that having determined on the election of one political and general chief, the voices had been unanimous in favour of Pafquale Paoli, a man whofe virtues and abilities rendered him particularly worthy. He had expreffed great reluctance," it was added, "to accept of the command, but had at length been prevailed upon to take upon himfelf the government; in the conduct of which he was to be affifted by two counfellors of flate, and one of the most reputable perfons from each diftrict, all of whom were to be changed once a month."

Paoli was accordingly entrusted with the fole management of public affairs, both civil and military, and foon obtained fuch an afcendancy over the minds of the people, that they implicitly affented to every thing propofed in his name. As his patrimony was extremely flender, it became abfolutely neceffary that he should obtain a fettled revenue. His expences were accordingly provided for, by means of an annual tax, called pane del generale."

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The fituation of the island, in respect to its internal government, being very unpromiling, this chief new-modelled the laws, difcouraged affaffinations, imported arms, and established the appear ance, if not reality, of fubordination. In addition to all this, he inftituted fchools, erected an univerfity at Corte, and actually laid the foundation of a maritime power; or, at leaft, what was confidered as fuch in that part of the Mediterranean, although it only confift

It confifted folely, as has been confident ly faid, of a house and garden at Reflino, the place of his birth.

ed, in 1760, of a few feluccus, under the command of Count Peres, who was henceforward designated under the pompous title of High Admiral of Corfica.

In 1761, the doge and fenate of Ge noa, perceiving the change lately effected among the natives by the good conduct of one man, fent a deputation to a general confulta, convoked at Vefcovato, for the exprefs purpose of propofing terms of accommodation; but as the pulfe of liberty now beat high, it was unanimously refolved never to make any peace with the enemy, unless on the exprefs condition of Corfica being guaranteed in the full enjoyment of its independence. A memorial to the fame effect was alfo addreffed, at the fame time, to all the fovereigns of Europe.

At length, in 1768, this petty and tyrannical republic, being now in despair of ever bending the Corticans again to its yoke, actually determined to difpote of the land to the beft bidder. Ac cordingly, the fovereignty was transferred to France (at least, fo far as fuch a transfer can be efteemed legal), for the fum of forty millions of livres, a large portion of which was however deducted as an antecedent debt.

But Paoli, although greatly alarmed, was not utterly ditimayed by this ceflion, On the contrary, he aroufed and prepared the fpirit of his followers for a freth contention, and animated them to perfevere, with additional zeal, in the defence of their liberties and independence against all oppofers. He, at the fame time, folemnly promifed never to abandon the caufe, but either to triumph or fall at the head of his countrymen!

This heroic refolution, coupled with the juftice of the caufe in which he had embarked, obtained for him the esteem and regard of every lover of humanity throughout Europe. He had already added to his reputation, by driving the Genoefe from the open country, fhutting them up in the maritime towns, and be Geging the city of St. Fiorenzo; which he was only prevented from taking poffeffion of by the ignorance of his coun trymen in refpect to the attack of fartified places, as well as the total want of cannon of every defeription, without which it was utterly impoffible to make any unprefliou on a town defended according to the modern rules of war.

But the fituation of there brave if landers was foon altered for the worse,

as "M. de Marbœuf, an officer of confiderable talents, had landed with ix batallions, in 1764. But yet Paoli was full confidered, by all parties, as the legitimate chief, and it was not until foune time after that a new war, and that too with fuch a powerful monarchy as France, became inevitable.

Meanwhile, the people of England, always impreffed with noble ideas in behalf of freedom, began to conceive a high notion of the inhabitants of Corfica, and to feel a generous with to ferve them. This paffion was not a little inflamed by the writings of a young Scotchman, who had been induced to vifit that ifland in 1765, without any other introduction than a letter from the celebrated author of the Social Contract

ing a word, while he looked at me with a itedfaft, keen, and penetrating eye, as if he fearched my very foul.

"This interview was for a while very fevere upon me. I was very much re lieved when his referve wore off, and he began to fpeak more. I then ventured to addrefs him with this compliment to the Corficans: Sir, I am upon my travels, and have lately vifited Rome. I am come from feeing the ruins of one brave and free people: 1 now fee the rife of another."

This event, trifling as it may appear, tended not a little, in confequence of the policy of Paoli, to raife him in the eftimation of his own countrymen, and even of the neighbouring ftetes. Bofwell was immediately lodged in the house of Siguor Colonna, the lord of the ma By this means he obtained an intro- nor, and viured by all the nobility; and duction to Paoli, whom he describes as whenever he chofe to furvey the country, follows: "I found him alone, and was was attended by a party of foldiers. ftruck with his appearance. He is tall, "One day," fays he, "when I rode out, frong, and well made; of a fair com- I was mounted on Paoli's own horfe, plexion, a fenfible, free, and open coun- with rich furniture of crimson velvet, tenance, and a manly and open carriage. with broad gold lace, and had my guards He was then in his fortieth year. le marching along with me. I allowed mywas dreffed in green and gold. He ufed felf to indulge a momentary pride in the to wear the common Corfican habit; but parade, as I was curious to experience on the arrival of the French he thought what could really be the pleasure of state a little external elegance might be of and diftinction, with which mankind are nie, to make the government appear in a fo ftrangely intoxicated." It was eafy more refpectable light. to countenance, or even to originate, "He alked me, what were my com- the report that a gentleman, whofe zeal mands for him? I prefented him a let alone carried him into the wilds of Cor ter from Count Rivarola; and when he fica, had been fent thither on a fecret had read it, I fhewed him my letter from million; and the Ambafciadore In Rouleau. He was polite, but very referv-glefe," by means of the Avignon Gazette, ed. I had stood in the prefence of many a prince, but I never had fuch a trial as in the prefence of Paoli. I have already faid, that he is a great phyfiognomift. In confequence of his being in continual danger from treachery and affaffination, he has formed a habit of ftudiously obferving every new face. For ten minutes we walked backwards and forwards through the room, hardly fay

M. de Marbœuf was much beloved by the natives. It was he, indeed, who protected the family of Bonaparte; and being very much attached, as has been faid, to his mother, obtained leave for him, during the reign of Louis XV., to be fent to l'Ecole MiLizaire.

†The late Mr. Bofwell, fon of Lord Auchinleck, one of the lords of fellion, a gentleman who feems to have begun the world as a fpeculative whig, and to have endad it as a practical tory. MONTHLY MAC. No. 154.

was foon introduced to the notice of all the people of Europe.

While Paoli was thus flattering the vanity of his countrymen, and confoli dating his own power, the conqueft of the whole ifland feems to have been me ditated by the court of France. Louis XV. an indolent and voluptuous prince, addicted to the loofeft pleafures, and re gulated by the will of his miftreffes and his minifters, was prevailed upon to make the attempt in 1768. M. de Chauvelin, one of his favourites, and the fa ther of that amballador whom we have feen at our own court, as the reprefen tative of Louis XVI., was accordingly nominated to the command of the expe dition.

The army deftined for the acquifition of the poor, barren, and defolate island of Corlica, was coinpofed of fixteen ba tallions and two legions, amounting in all to about 5000 men. There were to

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be fupported by a fquadron, confifting of two fail of the line, two frigates, fix arned brigantines, a number of tranfports, &c. It was evidently the intereft of the English nation to have prevented this acquifition on the part of France: but a fecret understanding appears at that time to have fubfifted between the two courts, and a fpirit of compliance actually evinced itfelf on this occafion that cannot be accounted for on any honourable principle. Lord Chatham did not at that humiliating period prefide in the councils of the nation; yet we have always understood, that the late Marquis of Lanfdowne (then Earl of Shelburne) objećted to the tamenefs with which fuch an infult was borne, and that he actually refigned the important office then held by him, in confequence of it.

Be this as it may, a furious war en fued between France and Corfica; in which numbers, military fcience, money, and difcipline, were on one fide; and on the other, an almoft unarmed multitude, enthufiafm, bravery, and a good caufe.

As the Corficans were unprovided with artillery, and even with bayonets, and combatted individually rather than in regular maffes, it would have been highly impolitic for them to have encountered the French in the plain, and thus placed the fate of their country on the iffue of a pitched battle. On the contrary, it was their intereft to prolong the war, in order to give time for the intervention of the neutral powers. Paoli, therefore, pofted his troops on the heights of Nebbio, de la Croce, and St. Antonio, where they remained firm; hoping, in a mountainous warfare, to be able to contend with lefs inequality than in the low country. They were obliged, however, after repeated charges, to retire before the veteran troops of France, who acted in concert, and poffeffed a variety of advantages.

On this, the islanders withdrew behind the Guolo, but not until they had already exhibited fuch a fpecimen of their bravery, that, inftead of pursuing the enemy, Chauvelin found it abfolutely neceffary to draw reinforcements from his own coaft.

In the courfe of a fhort period, the tide of war turned against the invaders; and the Corficans, (who had hitherto acted on the defenuve) at length became the affailants. Many officers diftinguifhed themfelves on this occafion, particularly Clemente Paoli, the elder brother of the

General. He was a fingular man, who united the moft exemplary deference to the fuperftitions of the church, with a paffionate attachment to the profeffion of arms, and led the life of a monk, when he did not act in the capacity of a warrior. Perceiving that a confiderable body of French troops, with the ufual audacity of that nation, had penetrated into the Pieva, or diftrict of Cafinca, he called on the natives to rife in a body; and having affembled four or five thoufand of them, he attacked the enemy, forced the poft of La Penta, obliged the foe to recrofs the river, and actually drove them before him to Notre Dame dell' Orto. But this was not all, for no fooner had his fuccefs been made generally known, than the detached camp of St. Nicholas was attacked by multitudes of armed men, and General Grandmaifon, who commanded there, was obliged to fall back to Oletta. The town of Borgo was the next object, on which the conquerors fixed their attention; and although utterly unacquainted with both the art and the means of attacking fortified ftations, they found means to penetrate into the place, and make a lodgement there.

On this, M. de Chauvelin, resolved to advance in perfon, with the main body of the army, while Paoli, being encouraged by the recent conduct of his troops, determined to give him battle. An action accordingly took place on the 5th of September, 1768; for the French having advanced in three feparate columus, hoping, by means of a combined movement, to carry every thing before them, the Corfieans, as ufual, placed themfelves in ambush, and, as they fired with all the certainty of American riflemen, they oề courfe made a great flaughter. Of three hundred of the garrifon of Borgo, who fallied out during the fight, one man only returned alive; and that place was accordingly obliged to furrender next day.

After this, the French General retired first to Baftia, and then to Versailles, chagrined to behold fome of the beft troops of France circumvented, defeated, and killed, by a body of mountaineers, headed by a General, who was acquain ted with the theory of war alone, and had never, until now, beheld an engagement. The conclufion of the campaign of 1768, fo difgraceful to the French army, and fo honourable to its enemies, afforded a fair opportunity for the intervention of the maritime powers. But as M. de Choifeul, at that time minifter to Louis XV, was but too well acquainted with the difper

fition of the British cabinet, which could alone have animated the allied courts into action, he determined to fend powerful reinforcements to Cortica. Thefe confified of twenty battalions, two legions, and twelve hundred mules; and the command of the whole was entrusted to the Count de Vaux,

This officer unfortunately happened not only to be brave and active, but alfo to poffefs a mind well acquainted with all the refources of war. He himself was familiar with the fccne of action, and well aware of all the faults committed by his predeceffor, who had only fcaped from difgrace, and even from punishment, by the perfonal attachinent and regard of the monarch, in whofe debaucheries he had for many years participated.

The new commander in chief, fearing above all things left the war thould be protracted, determined to divide his army into two columns, of about twelve battalions each, and by one grand movement put an end to the conteft, by the complete fubjugation of the whole island of Cortica. Paoli, from this moment, forefaw that his country muft not only be overrun, but conquered. He, however, defended the bridge of Guolo, and the village of Valle, with a confiderable degree of obftinacy; after which, he retired with about fix thoufand men to the top of a mountain, furmounted with a Turkifh mofque, originally built by the Saraeens, and fince converted into a chriftian church, dedicated to St. Peter. As this commanded the four adjacent valleys, and was confidered as the laft and chief defence of the inland, every thing depended on keeping poffeffion of it. But the Corticans were equally overpowered by numbers and by fkill; and fifteen hundred of them having been nearly cut off, in an attempt against the French army at Ponte Nuovo, the final fubjugation of the natives was now unhappily accomplished.

Dumourier, who ferved on this occafrom, with the rank of Adjutant-General, is liberal enough, in the Memoirs of his own Life, to pay the highest compliments both to the Corticans and their chief. In respect to the former, he obferves as follows:

"It is aftonishing that this handful of Munders, deftitute of artillery, fortifications, magazines, and money, fhould have kept France at boy during two campaigns, although the had no other enemies to rape with. But liberty doubles the lour and the strength of man."

"Paoli," fays he, in another place, "has rendered his name illuftrious, in confequence of the vigour with which he fupported the caufe of public liberty among the Corficans; but in truth, it was a little at the expence of their individual freedom. In the courfe of this war, he difplayed great genius, and a noble confiftency; had he been endowed with military talents, had he known how to have inftructed his countrymen in that fpecies of hoftility beft fuited to the natural bent of their genius, he would have deftroyed our little army in 1768, and done us much more harm than we experienced in 1769."

This celebrated chief had the good fortune to efcape during the general con→ fufion, with the lofs of his library and his baggage. Having with fome difficulty affembled a few of his faithful followers, among whom was his own brother, he repaired to the fea-fide, and being accompanied by thefe on board an armed veffel, bearing the English flag, which had been provided for his reception, he was landed in Italy.

After remaining a fhort time at Leghorn, he repaired to England, where he had inany friends and admirers. Indeed, it was but a few days before his final retreat, that he had received a liberal fubfcription, from a number of private individuals, for the exprefs purpose of en abling him to continue the war against France.*

Immediately on his arrival, the patriots, at the eastern extremity of the metropolis tranfinitted a formal invitation to the General, to repair to the city, where an entertainment had been provided for him. Alderman Beckford, Mrs. Macaulay, Alderman Fecothick, and a number of his friends and admirers were all prefent on this occafion, and expected his appearance with impatience: but the General having received an intimation from the patriots of the weft end of the town, that his prefence would give offence to the court, he felt himfelf fuddenly indifpofed, and fent his fecretary with an excufe.

Meanwhite Paoli was prefented to His Majefty, at St. James's, and mort graciously received. He was at the fame time gratified with a penfion † for himfelf, while a liberal provifion was made for his brother Signor Clemente Paoli, and also

The Aldermen Beckford and Fecothick, together with Samuel Vaughan, efq. were the trustees.

Twelve hundred pounds per annum.
U 2

for

for his nephew Signor Barbaggio, the latter of whom, had accompanied him to England, while the former refided in Italy.

From this time forward, the Ex-General remained chiefly in London, leading the quiet life of a private gentleman, keeping an hofpitable table, a carriage, and every thing appertaining to a man of fortune. Having been waited upon, foon after his arrival, by Mr. Bofwell, the latter prefented Dr. Johnson to him, on the 10th of October, 1769. "They inet with a manly eafe," fays Mr. B.*" mutually confcious of their own abilities, and of the abilities of each other. The General fpoke Italian, and Dr. Johnson, English, and understood one another very well, with a little aid of interpretation from me, in which I compared myself to an ifthmus, that joins two great Continents." During the fpace of twenty-three years, Paoli enjoyed an honourable and fecure afyluin in Great Britain, where he of courfe expected to end his days. But the extraordinary events of the French Revolution at length induced him to embark anew in the ftorms of civil ftrife.

No fooner had the Conftituting Affembly proclaimed liberty to the nation, than the fate of Corfica appeared to be meliorated, and a people fo long oppreffed, received a glimpie of freedom. On perceiving that his native country had become one of the departments of France, her ancient chief tranfmitted a letter to his fellow-citizens, in which he expreffed his congratulations on this event, but la mented at the fame time that he could not rejoin them confiftently with his gratitude and attachment to the British

nation.

Notwithstanding this, he took leave of his friends here, and repaired to Paris in 1792; having been well received by the party then in power, he pronounced a peech at the bar of the affeinbly, in which be obferved," that after a painful exile of more than twenty years, he now rejoiced to behold his country refiored to the poffeffion of her rights and privileges, by the generosity of the French Iation." He, at the fame time, expreffed bir readiness" to contribute, as much as it was in his power, to the happiness of bis fellow-citizens."

Thefe fentiments being highly popular at that period, experienced general applante; and Paoli having taken the oath of fidelity, in the face of the nation, was

*Lite of Samuel Johnfog, L.,L.D, vol, ii. p. 76.

thus enabled to reinftate himself, in all his former power and authority, Soon after this, he embarked for Corfica, where he was received with an extraor dinary degree of attachment and respect. In confequence of this, he was elected mayor of Baftia, commander in chief of the national guard, and prefident of the department; in fine, he foon acquired more authority in the island, than before its fubjugation by the French,

Notwithstanding this, he appears to have been ftill ambitious of its entire independence, and an epoch foon arrived, when he imagined that fo defirable an event might be effected with impunity. This was the execution of Louis XVI, which divided the French nation into two parties, rendered a civil war exceedingly probable, and animated the enemies of the new republic with new hopes.

The Convention having been informed of his fecret practices, inmediately iffued orders to Paoli, to repair to their bar, and defend himfelf against the accufations of his enemies: but he pleaded his age and infirmities, with a view of gaining time, and affured that affembly, he would never be found defective in respect to his duty. To a fecond decree, more peremptory than the firft, he replied in a different manner, and with more franknefs; after which he repaired to Corte, the ancient capital, fituate in the centre of the island, where, furrounded by his friends and adherents, he laughed at the proclamation which had been iffued, declaring him a traitor, and fetting a price on his head,

On this occafion, however, a number of the moft powerful families in Corfica declared against him; and Saliceti, Arena, Gentili, Cafa Bianca, together with many of those who had fworn fidelity to the new conftitution, and like himself fubfcribed the civic oath, publicly declared, that they could not aflift in fubverting thofe regulations, in favour of which they had taken fo folemn a vow, in the face of Heaven and of mankind.

On the other hand, the whole body of the clergy, difgufted at the late reforms, which had deprived them of a large portion of their revenues, fided with their an cient chief; and to thefe adhered all fuch as were eminently devoted to the church of Rome, a numerous and powerful clafs of men, who affuuned to themfelves the appellation of the fucred band. But as Faoli knew from long experience, that it was impoffible to refift the power of France, alone and unfupported, he determined to call in the afliftauce of

England,

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